Paul's Plan
by FallenQueen2
Summary: It has been a month since Paul went missing; he then reappears as Negan's negotiator. Whose side is Paul really on?Bad Things Happen Bingo Squares Filled: Betrayal [Chapter 1], bedside vigil [Chapter 2]
1. Chapter 1: Betrayal

**Paul's Plan**

**It has been a month since Paul went missing; he then reappears as Negan's negotiator. Whose side is Paul really on?**

**Fandom: The Walking Dead**

**Rating: T**

**Square Filled: Betrayal [1], bedside vigil [2]**

**Tags: badthingshappenbingo, Betrayal, AU, Glenn and Abraham live, who is Paul really betraying, Daryl has feelings for Paul, badass Paul, Negan is his own warning, **

**Created for badthingshappenbingo**

**Chapter 1 - Betrayal**

Daryl flicked the cigarette butt off of the wall as he squinted at the tree line, seeing nothing and disappointment settled in his gut had been doing for a solid month.

"Rick said you were up here," Maggie commented as she carefully made her way up onto the walls of Alexandria, her hand settling on the small swell of her growing stomach and accepted a bottle of water from the man as she sat in the chair next to Daryl.

"How ya feeling?" Daryl asked seeing sadness hidden in her eyes.

"Not great... It's been a whole month Daryl and I know I should accept it that he's gone but I just..." Maggie trailed off to gulp down some water, rubbing her stomach tenderly.

"It's Paul," Daryl fought the urge to light up again, but even that reminded him of the Scout. The Scout who had tossed Daryl this pack of cigarettes with a cocky smile on his lips.

"He always comes back," Maggie sighed as she stretched out her legs.

"Yeah," Daryl knew what the woman was saying; he felt his unexplained absent like a damn missing limb. They all knew what it was like out there with the Walkers and with the Saviors but Paul always came back alive.

"Ah, shit!" Daryl swore when three trucks burst from the tree line and he snatched up the binoculars to confirm.

"It's the Saviors, shit. Tell Rick and the others!" Daryl swore as he grabbed his crossbow as he leapt to his feet.

"On it!" Maggie sounded pissed as she hurried back down the steps to gather the others.

Daryl was on her heels, anger coursing through his veins as he and Rick stepped out of the gate of Alexandria where the three trucks were waiting.

"Well, ain't this a cute little place you got here," a man called out as he stepped out one of the trucks wearing jeans, a leather jacket and a barbed baseball bat resting on his shoulder.

Daryl knew this was Negan himself and his fingers tightened on his crossbow as he kept it aimed at Negan while the others spread out around him and Rick to keep the other armed Saviors in their sights.

"Now, now I know this is a surprise and all but I'm here to negotiate peaceful like." Negan raised his hands mockingly.

"I don't buy it," Rick said simply as he rested his hand on the handle of his gun as he stared Negan down.

"It's the truth, usually I would waltz up in here and demand half of everything you have and maybe kill one or two people to really drive my point in. However recently I've been... Persuaded to try ahem a less bloody way. I even brought a negotiator!" Negan smiled a bit deranged when he told them that he had been persuaded. Daryl got a sick feeling in his stomach as Negan whistled and the door of the truck behind him opened up.

Combat boots his hit the ground before Paul came into sight. Daryl let his crossbow lower in pure shock while Maggie lurched toward with a cry of Paul's name but Glenn held her back. Paul's hair was loose around his shoulders; he was wearing tight black jeans with a plunging black sheer V-neck shirt. His throat was covered in fresh and healing hickeys but what was obvious was the handprint that spanned his throat. What terrified Daryl was the blank and empty look that filled Paul's usually so expressive eyes as he looked at them.

"You seem to know my husband," Negan commented as he sauntered over to Paul and Daryl felt his blood run cold at the term. They all had been told about Negan's harem of wives and how got them. Daryl felt sick as the marks on Paul's skin made sense now, but Daryl had to wonder how the hell Negan had gotten his hands on the ninja-like scout and what the man threatened him with to keep him in line.

"You didn't tell me you know these people and you know I don't like being lied to boy." Negan snarled as he curled his fingers around Paul's throat, matching up with the bruises that were already there.

Glenn had to hold onto Maggie tighter when she lunged forward again and Daryl's crossbow flew back up towards Negan, itching to out a bolt through his head. Daryl noticed that Rick had his gun out of his holster and eyes blazing as he took in Negan and Paul.

"You didn't ask," Paul said simply as if he didn't have a madman choking him.

"I didn't ask huh? Heh, still such a sassy thing you are. Looks like I'll have to try harder to break you." Negan laughed as he squeezed Paul's throat once before stepping away and turning back to the Alexandrians who all had varying looks of horror and disgust on their faces as Negan's words sank in. Daryl's finger twitched on the trigger of his crossbow before he let out a curse when Negan wrapped his arm possessively around Paul's waist and pulled the scout in front of him to act as a human shield.

Negan was pressed far to close to Paul's back for Daryl's comfort and his hand came back up around Paul's throat once again. From the hiss that Maggie let out and the cocking of Rick's gun the others felt the same as Daryl did, but there was no way to get a clean shot off with where Paul was standing.

"Negan wants half of everything you have in exchange for the Saviour's protection." Paul recited off; keeping those blank eyes locked on Rick whose jaw was clenched as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on.

"If we say no?" Rick asked slowly and Paul inhaled sharply when Negan's hand tightened around his throat, forcing his head back as Negan lifted his bat to point at Rick.

"We start offing you one by one until you come to your senses, but also remember if you try anything pretty boy here may be my husband but that doesn't mean I won't mess him up a bit or let my men have their fun." Negan gave a sick smile and Daryl snarled under his breath at what the man was implying and he heard Maggie shout out curse after curse as she struggled against her husband's arms.

"You have one day to decide," Paul said simply like Negan wasn't openly telling them all what would happen to him if Rick didn't give into Negan's demands.

"Load up men! We're having a party tonight!" Negan shouted out and his men let out a cheer while Paul's face went a shade paler and his eyes flashed with something before he schooled his expression, but Daryl saw it nonetheless and it set a fire in his chest.

It may look like Paul had betrayed them and Hilltop to Negan but Daryl was a hunter and he knew Paul. There was more happening here than anyone knew and it made Daryl's skin itch.

Daryl kept his crossbow trained on Negan who was walking Paul back to the truck, his hand obviously gripping the other man's ass as they went and Daryl wanted nothing more than to chop that hand off and pull Paul into his arms.

The Alexandrian's didn't move or lower their guards until the three trucks were out of sight.

"Well shit," Rick swore as he shoved his gun back into his holster.

"Something ain't right, Jesus would never go to Negan let alone agree to be that bastard's husband." Maggie exploded, finally wiggling out of Glenn's grip, holding her baby bump protectively as she spoke with fury burning in her eyes.

"We don't know him that well, maybe this was his plan all along," Abraham suggested and Daryl had to fight the urge to punch the man. Paul was a lot of things, prick included but he was no traitor.

"We don't know much about what is going on and that makes our position difficult." Rick ran his fingers through his hair as the group made their back into the safe-zone. Maggie being held back by Glenn once again, her fury directed at Abraham for even suggesting that Paul had been playing them.

"Even if we could attack, that puts Paul and whoever he's protecting in danger." Rick rumbled to Daryl, giving the man a side look and Daryl refused to read too much into that knowing look his brother was giving him.

"You see those bruises? He's already in danger! We have no clue what else has been happening to him! They've had him for a MONTH!" Maggie fumed before she took a deep breath.

"I'm going to get food and maybe punch something," Maggie said with a false calm before she stormed off, Glenn opting to stay back and he shrugged his shoulders when given questioning looks. He knew his wife and wasn't about to get in the way of her anger.

"We have to make a plan, a good one that doesn't leave anything to chance," Michonne said simply and Daryl grunted his agreement, he had to make sure whatever their plan was that it involved Paul being safe from Negan and his men.

Daryl tried not to think too hard about the party that Negan mentioned that had Paul looking terrified for that brief moment. He knew if he thought too hard, horrible things would appear in his mind and he wasn't sure he could handle that right now.

~~/~~

"Hurry up boy, the party is getting started!" Negan barked as he walked into the room Paul was staying in while in Sanctuary. Paul was still wearing the same clothes he had during the encounter with Alexandria, but his eyes were glinting dangerously.

"I don't think so," Paul said simply and Negan's face twisted up in anger and he stalked towards Paul, swinging his bat at his side.

"You think you have a goddamn choice boy?" Negan snarled as he reached towards Paul before he stumbled. Paul's lips turned up into a smirk as Negan staggered backwards, Lucille dropping onto the floor as he curled his arms around his stomach.

"You little shit, what did you do?" Negan rasped as he felt to his knees and Paul stepped forward so he was towering over the man.

"It took a month, but you and your most insane followers finally have enough built up in your systems to take you down," Paul said as he wrapped his long hair up into a topknot as Negan swore.

"You poisoned me? ME?" Negan was cut off by a violent cough.

"I did originally plan on slitting your throat that first night, but I didn't want a blood bath to follow when half of those here are only here because you forced them. So instead I talked with everyone here, I chose those who would turn on you and fed you and the rest small amounts of a tree root that Daryl showed me once. Harmless in small doses but if you kept ingesting those amounts day after day for a month, well." Paul picked up Lucille as he spoke, swinging it through the air as Negan had been doing moments ago.

"You won't get out of here alive boy," Negan rasped out before he coughed up blood, doubling over in pain as his body began to shut down thanks to the poison in his system.

Negan fell onto the floor in a boneless heap when several explosions went off over Sanctuary and noise grew from outside and Paul just tapped Lucille against the floor by Negan's head.

"You really think I didn't have an escape plan in place? I have friends everywhere and those explosions came courtesy of King Ezekiel and the Kingdom. What's left of your saviors will be taken care of, but you won't be around to see it." Paul promises as he lifted Lucille and took a steadying breath before he swung it down with all his strength with a sharp crack as barbed wire and solid wood connected with Negan's head.

Paul winced as he pulled Lucille away from the now bloody mess that had been Negan's head. Paul swallowed down bile at the sight of flesh and muscle attached to the barbed wire and the burst eyeballs in Negan's caved in head. Negan was dead and no longer able to harm anyone and something akin to relief coursed through Paul's body.

Paul's head snapped up when the door was flung open, Shiva growling and fur on end as she leapt into the room, Ezekiel standing at the ready behind his tiger.

"Jesus my friend! The compound is ours!" Ezekiel announced in triumph and then his eyes fell on the bloodied bat and what was left of Negan.

"Come, my friend, let us leave this place of horrors." Ezekiel held his hand out as Shiva purred in contentment from the place next to him.

"That is the best offer I've had in months." Paul smiled as he stepped towards Ezekiel before his eyes widened and a strangled choke came from his mouth as blood dripped down his chin.

"PAUL!" Ezekiel roared as he lunged forward as Paul collapsed, his hands curling around the side of Paul's neck where a bullet had just torn through.

"FIND THAT SHOOTER!" Ezekiel roared at some of his men who had been guarding the hall as Paul's blood seeped between his fingers.

"Stay with me Jesus, come on you can't give up after all of this." Ezekiel encouraged Paul whose eyes were closed but his chest was still moving up and down as he breathed heavily even as he slipped unconscious.

"Fight Jesus, don't give up!" Ezekiel kept repeating as more blood spilled from the wound on Paul's neck.


	2. Chapter 2: Bedside Vigil

**Paul's Plan**

**It has been a month since Paul went missing; he then reappears as Negan's negotiator. Whose side is Paul really on?**

**Fandom: The Walking Dead**

**Rating: T**

**Square Filled: Betrayal [1], bedside vigil [2]**

**Tags: badthingshappenbingo, Betrayal, Bedside Vigil, AU, Glenn and Abraham live, Daryl has feelings for Paul, badass Paul, Negan is his own warning, hurt Paul, hurt/comfort, **

**Created for badthingshappenbingo**

**Chapter 2 – Bedside Vigil**

The faint sounds of explosions woke the sleeping community of Alexandria. Daryl jolted upright from where he was laying on the Grimes couch, not wanting to be alone and not being able to sleep with his mind going a million miles an hour. His hand curling around his crossbow on reflex as he lurched up from the couch and hurried out the front door, Rick mere moments behind.

"What the hell was that?" Daryl asked as he twisted his head around before he stared at the faint glow of flames and billowing smoke rising into the dark sky.

"That's the direction of Sanctuary," Rick said slowly as realization clicked in.

"Paul did something, no way that wasn't him," Daryl said, knowing full well what the scout was capable of.

"One way to find out, first light we head out and find out what the hell is going on," Rick said loud enough for the other Alexandrian residents who had tumbled out of bed could hear their leader's decision.

"I know you want to go now Daryl, but we have to trust that Paul can handle himself," Rick said setting his hand calming on Daryl's shoulder seeing the tension and urge to move in his brother's eyes.

"Yeah, it's not safe at night," Daryl grumbled, hating that Rick was right. Hating that he had to wait till morning to see if Paul was okay, to see if everything was okay or not.

~~/~~

The RV and a few cars roared down the road leading into Sanctuary. The flames had died down in the night but the air was still thick with smoke, clearly marking their path to the compound. As the pulled to a stop they saw people on foot and horseback were milling around the company and there was a giant bonfire going. The closer they got Daryl could make out that they were burning bodies. Daryl just hoped Paul's wasn't already in there as he eased his motorcycle to a stop and cut the engine.

"You must be from Alexandria! Welcome to Sanctuary! I am King Ezekiel from the Kingdom and a friend of Jesus!" Ezekiel moved forward to greet the newcomers like he had been expecting them.

"Paul told me about the Kingdom, they are legit," Maggie whispered to Rick before the man smiled and shook Ezekiel's offered hand.

"I'm Rick, the leader of Alexandria. What happened here? Is Jesus alright?" Rick asked curiously and Maggie rocked on her feet, clutching Glenn's arm as she waited for an answer looking just as anxious as Daryl felt.

"Negan and his crazed followers were taken down and their bodies are burning. The Saviour's are no longer a problem from any community... As for Jesus, he's alive but... Well, it is easier to show you then tell you," Ezekiel's face went grave and his tone of voice dropped sending a stone plummeting into Daryl's stomach. He clutched the strap of his crossbow tighter, needing to do something to stop himself from tearing through the compound to find Paul himself.

"Go, we'll keep an eye on things here, see if we can help," Michonne squeezed Rick's arm in reassurance.

"Lead the way King Ezekiel," Rick said, feeling silly using the title but he wasn't going to pick a fight with a potential ally and trade partner. Daryl and Maggie fell into step beside Rick, as he knew they would.

"Jesus had this insane plan, he would bait the man who led Hilltop until Gregory would offer him up to the Saviors to get rid of him." Ezekiel began to explain as they entered the compound, walking the dirty and sometimes bloodstained halls easily.

"He knew his skills wouldn't keep him truly safe once in Negan's clutches. He knew of Negan's harem of wives and affection for pretty things. Well, Jesus is very pretty and charming so he managed to gain a spot at Negan's side as his first husband. I'm unsure how Jesus got Negan to agree to many things and frankly, I do not want to know the horrid things Jesus endure to make sure no one else he cared about died." Ezekiel shuddered as he spoke and Maggie leaned against Daryl as she paled as Daryl bit his lower lip harshly while Rick's eyes narrowed as horrific ideas flew through their heads.

"He is good at making friends and has an incredible instinct about people. He got many on his side as Negan ruled them all with fear or promises of harming their loved ones. Jesus weeded out the truly insane ones and alongside Negan began to slip a certain root into their food. It took a month for enough to build up in their systems for it to truly poison them. That happened last night and that was when we struck. Taking the compound was easy and Jesus ended Negan's life with the man's own bat." Ezekiel explained, pride slowly filling his voice as he spoke of Paul's plan and how it went off without a hitch. Daryl's heart pounded in his chest at the mental image of Paul ending Negan's life with the man's own precious bat while Maggie tightened her grip on him and Rick hummed under his breath, half impressed and half worried at the news.

The group came to a stop outside a door and Ezekiel placed his hand on the doorknob before sending them all a sad look.

"However not all went according to plan... Paul took a bullet in the side of his neck... He hasn't woken up yet. Our doctor got him stable but he just won't wake. He may never wake," Ezekiel suddenly looked old and weary. This set the trio's fear skyrocketing up as they took in the news as Ezekiel pushed open the door to what must be the infirmary.

"Oh God," Maggie gasped, one hand flying up to her mouth and the other one to her stomach on reflex at the sight that lay before them.

Paul was lying propped up on a bed, his arms tucked under white sheets and a thick wrapping of pink stained gauze was wrapped around his throat. His hair was limp and hanging loosely around his shoulders and his face was pale and gaunt in the lighting of the room. Dark circles were under his closed eyes and a giant tiger was snoozing at the foot of the bed.

The tiger opened its eyes and bared its fangs at the group before Ezekiel whistled lowly and the tiger yawned widely before settling back down.

"Oh Paul," Daryl was the first to move, Maggie on his heels as they entered the room.

"Did you get the guy who did this?" Rick asked Ezekiel, rage and concern warring inside of the man as he stared at the still, injured form of the scout. The scout who had risked everything to take Negan down, who gave up everything to make sure no one from Alexandria or Hilltop was harmed further.

"He's out there burning with the others," Ezekiel promised, his voice just as dark as Rick imagined his voice had been.

"Good, thank you for helping him." Rick held his hand out to the other leader and the two shook hands out of respect.

"He is a good friend, have faith. He will wake," Ezekiel said firmly and Rick nodded his agreement. He worked closely with Paul before he went missing and knew how strong the scout was.

"He has to," Rick murmured as he looked into the room to see Daryl clutching at Paul's limp hand with a look of pain and worry on his face while Maggie was stroking Paul's hair with a shaking hand.

"Aye," Ezekiel murmured as well before clapping Rick on the shoulder before he left with one last look at Paul's unconscious form.

"The idiot, he should have told us, should have asked for help." Maggie sniffed as Rick pulled over two chairs for her and Daryl, knowing full well that neither of them were going to be leaving Paul's side any time soon.

"You know that's now how he works, he still thinks he has to do everything alone." Daryl groused as he laced his fingers tightly with Paul's limp ones.

"I know I just hate it. When he wakes up he is moving to Alexandria so we can keep an eye on him." Maggie said firmly as she settled in the chair, folding her hands over her swelling stomach.

"When he wakes up I'm not letting him out of my sight for a good long while," Daryl agreed as he rubbed his thumb over Paul's hand, his eyes never leaving Paul's blank face.

"I'm going to go see the others, see what we can do to help and figure out what to do with the Saviour's who helped Paul. I trust you two have everything covered here?" Rick didn't want to leave, but he knew he had to go check on the others.

"We got it covered, if not I'm sure that Tiger will rip anyone to shreds." Maggie flicked her eyes to the resting tiger who looked peaceful but she had seen the nature channel back in the old world and knew how vicious they could be. That was the only reason Ezekiel must have left him in Paul's room.

"I'm sure… He's gonna pull through, he's strong." Rick placed his hand on Daryl's shoulder in a silent gesture of support and Daryl nodded jerkily at the other man, but he never looked away from Paul.

That conversation was hours ago and night had fallen on the compound. Visitors from Alexandria had cycled through the room, wincing or outright sobbing at the sight of Paul's unconscious form and the bandage around his throat.

Daryl hadn't moved from his place next to Paul for all those hours, uncaring that his hand was cramping up as he held Paul's hand. He didn't have it in him to let go, he knew it was irrational but he thought that if he let go then Paul would slip away from him.

"You're a moron Paul," Daryl whispered when he knew Maggie was asleep, curled up in the chair and looking peaceful in her sleep now that Paul was safe and the threat of Negan and the Saviour's finally gone from their lives.

"I wish ya had come to me, told me something…I get why ya didn't though, I know I'm hot-headed and lead with ma fists and not ma head." Daryl kept his voice low as not to wake Maggie but part of him wanted to shake Paul and shouted at him until he woke up and gave him that stupid smile of his that Daryl thought he would never see again.

"I love ya you idiot and if you don't wake up I'll never be able to tell you that, so I need you to wake up. Please, Paul, just wake up." Daryl lifted Paul's hand and pressed his lips to Paul's knuckles and closed his eyes to compose himself.

Daryl thought he had just closed his eyes for a moment but next thing he knew sunlight was filtering through the window and a crick was in his neck. Daryl sighed as he sat up from where he had fallen asleep on the side of the bed and rubbed at his eyes before looking back at Paul and let out a startled noise when he saw beautiful eyes looking at him and a hazy smile on his lips.

"Hi," Paul whispered and Daryl was lurching forward, cupping Paul's face between his hands and capturing Paul's lips with his own.

"Hi," Daryl breathed out when he broke the kiss and Paul smiled up at him.

"I missed you," Paul whispered as Daryl stared down at him with relief shining in his eyes.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again," Daryl swore and Paul smiled wider.

"I hope not," Paul smiled and Daryl basked in the warmth of it and everything was right with the world again. They would deal with the rest of it later, but right now it was just the two of them and that's all Daryl needed.


End file.
